Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 2018; 6(4): 389-391

E-ISSN: 2320-7078 P-ISSN: 2349-6800 Record of pollinators of Moringa oleifera lam. JEZS 2018; 6(4): 389-391 © 2018 JEZS Received: 23-05-2018 Accepted: 24-06-2018 Shiwani Bhatnagar, Lokendra Singh Rathore, Ameen Ullah Khan, Geeta Vishnoi, Neha Sharma and Bundesh Kumar Shiwani Bhatnagar Forest Protection Division, Arid Forest Research Institute, Abstract Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India Present study was carried out to record the insect pollinators on the blossom of Moringa oleifera during its flowering season. All the that visited the M. oleifera flowers between 6.00am and 6:00pm were Lokendra Singh Rathore observed and collected. The diversity and abundance of the insect visitors on the blossom were Forest Protection Division, determined. Six species of family, two species of Vespidae, two species of Papilionidae family Arid Forest Research Institute, and one species of Nymphalidae family were found visiting the flowers of M. oleifera. A. florea was Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India recorded as top workers on inflorescence of M. oleifera as pollen and nectar gatherers followed by Apis dorsata, Amegilla sp., Megachile sp. and Xylocopa sp. Ameen Ullah Khan Forest Protection Division, Keywords: Moringa oleifera, insect pollinators Arid Forest Research Institute, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India Introduction Geeta Vishnoi Moringa oleifera Lam., native of India belongs to the family Moringaceae and occurrs as wild Forest Protection Division, in the sub-Himalayan regions of Northern India. In India it is grown all over the subcontinent Arid Forest Research Institute, for its tender pods and also for its leaves and flowers. The tree is particularly renowned for its Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India great versatility. Its uses include: a good food source for humans and alike, coagulant Neha Sharma for water purification, remedy for numerous ailments as well as a source for biofuel production Forest Protection Division, (Anwar et al., 2007) [1]. The pod of moringa is a very popular vegetable in South Indian Arid Forest Research Institute, cuisine and valued for their distinctly inviting flavour. Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India Moringa flowers are white or creamy-white, scented and arise in terminal or axillary panicles.

Bundesh Kumar M. oleifera is adapted to selfing (geitonogamy) and outcrossing (xenogamy) with larger fruit [4] Forest Protection Division, set, seed set and fecundity in the latter mode (Jyoth et al., 1990) . According to Bhattacharya Arid Forest Research Institute, and Mandal (2004) [2] each M. oleifera flower produces on average 23525 pollen grains with Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India delayed stigma receptivity to promote cross pollination. The insect visitors/pollinators of Moringa oleifera need to be documented as not much data and literature is available on this

aspect. Therefore present study was undertaken to record the diversity and abundance of insects that visits/pollinate Moringa oleifera flowers.

Botanical classification of Moringa

Kingdom Plantae Division Magnoliophyta Class Magnoliopsida Order Brassicales Family Moringaceae Genus Moringa Species oleifera

Material and methods The flower visitors visiting the flowers of Moringa oleifera were collected, preserved and identified. Observation on the insect pollinators visiting the inflorescence of M. koenigii was recorded during the peak flowering season. These observations were recorded from 6:00 am to

6:00 pm at an interval of 3:00 hours. Observations were recorded after the initiation of 10% Correspondence flowering. Abundance (number of visitors/ cymes /5 minutes) of major pollinators was Shiwani Bhatnagar recorded. Insect visitors either visited the flowers for the nectar or pollen rewards. Forest Protection Division, Arid Forest Research Institute, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India ~ 389 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies

Results and discussion including honeybees (Apis spp.), wild bees and Insect visitors visiting the blossom of Moringa oleifera were wasps has long been associated with pollination, visiting more collected and identified. Six species of Apidae family, two flowers because they actively collect pollen and nectar for species of Vespidae and two species of Papilionidae family provision to their young ones. Among the pollinators, bees are and one species of Nymphalidae family were observed one of the most important and specialized groups (Danforth et visiting the flowers of M. oleifera (Table-1). Bees are the al. 2006) [3]. Morphologically bees are adapted to collect, dominant foragers. A. florea were recorded as top workers on manipulate, transport and store pollen very effectively and inflorescence of M. oleifera as pollen and nectar gatherers efficiently (Thorp, 2000; Danforth et al., 2006) [7, 3]. Lane followed by Apis dorsata, Amegilla sp., Megachile sp. and (1996) [5] considered Xylocopa as efficient pollinators and Xylocopa sp. Wasps were found to be the least abundant reported that Xylocopa have a tendency to collect pollen and among order Hymenoptera. Apis florea, Apis dorsata and nectar simultaneously. Xylocopa bees are more active during the morning hours. This may be because the flowers are filled with nectar in morning hours and the bees would hence have the highest yield per effort. Papilio polytes and Danaus chrysippus were most abundant among lepidopteran insects recorded (Fig-1). Mean no. of insect pollinators visiting the blosoom was highest (2.44) between 9.00-12.00 a.m. In the present study it was found that insects forage on the pollen and nectar of the flowers of Moringa oleifera and through that means pollinate the flowers. Out off eight species of Hymenoptera and three species of Lepidoptera observed on the blossom of M. oleifera, the most dominant and abundant species were A.florea (4.42/cymes/5 minutes) and A.dorsata (2.75 cymes/5 minutes) (Table-2). The diversity and abundance of insect pollinators on the blossom of M. oleifera were earlier not reported. Puri (1941) [6] and Jyoth et al., (1990) [4] reported that the flowers of M. oleifera produce both Fig 1: Abundance of different insect pollinators on blossom of Moringa oleifera pollen and nectar with bees as the main pollinators.

Table 1: List of insect visitors/ pollinators of Moringa oleifera

S. No Common Name Scientific Name Order Family 1. Lime butterfly Papilio demoleus Lepidoptera Papilionidae 2. Common Mormon Papilio polytes Lepidoptera Papilionidae 3. Plain Tiger Danaus chrysippus Lepidoptera Nymphalidae 4. Oriental hornet Vespa orientalis Hymenoptera Vespidae 5. Paper wasp Polistes hebraeus Hymenoptera Vespidae 6. Little bee Apis florea Hymenoptera Apidae 7. Giant bee Apis dorsata Hymenoptera Apidae 8. Xylocopa fenestrata Hymenoptera Apidae 9. Carpenter bee Xylocopa aestuans Hymenoptera Apidae 10. Blue-banded bee Amegilla sp. Hymenoptera Apidae 11. Leafcutter bees Megachile sp. Hymenoptera Megachilidae 12. Small carpenter bees Ceratina sp. Hymenoptera Apidae

Table 2: Abundance of insect pollintaors visiting the blossom of Moringa oleifera

Number of pollinators/ cymes / 5 minutes during different day hours S. No Insect species 6.00-9.00 9.00-12.00 12.00-3.00 3.00-6.00 Mean 1. Papilio demoleus 1.00 1.33 2.00 1.33 1.42 2. Papilio polytes 1.33 2.00 1.33 1.33 1.49 3. Danaus chrysippus 1.33 2.33 1.33 1.00 1.49 4. Vespa orientalis 0.00 1.67 1.00 1.67 1.09 5. Polistes hebraeus 0.00 2.00 1.67 1.67 1.34 6. Apis florea 2.66 5.67 5.00 4.33 4.42 7. Apis dorsata 2.00 3.33 2.67 3.00 2.75 8. Amegilla sp. 2.00 2.67 1.67 1.67 2.00 9. Megachile sp. 1.00 2.33 1.67 2.00 1.75 10. Ceratina sp. 1.00 1.67 1.33 1.33 1.33 11. Xylocopa fenestrata 0.00 1.67 1.67 1.33 1.17 12. Xylocopa aestuans 1.67 2.66 1.67 1.00 1.75 Mean 1.17 2.44 1.92 1.81 -

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References 1. Anwar F, Latif S, Ashraf M, Gilani AH. Moringa oleifera: A food plant with multiple medicinal uses. Phytother. Res. 2007; 21:17-25. 2. Bhattacharya A, Mandal S. Pollination, pollen germination and stigma receptivity in Moringa oleifera Lamk. Grana. 2004; 43:48-56. 3. Danforth BN, Sipes S, Fang J, Brady SG. The history of early bee diversification based on five genes plus morphology, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 2006; 103:15118-15123. 4. Jyothi PV, Atluri JB, Subba Reddi. Pollination ecology of Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae). Proceedings Inian Academyof Sciences (Plant Science). 1990; 100:33-42. 5. Lane MA. Pollination biology of Compositae. Royal Botanical Garden. 1996; 5:61-81. 6. Puri V. The life history of Moringa Lam. Journal of Indian Botanical Society. 1941; 20: 263-283. 7. Thorp RW. The collection of pollen by bees, Plant Syst. Evol. 2000; 222:211-233.

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